DOOR REMOVAL, LEVELING AND ALIGNMENT - Whirlpool

DOOR REMOVAL, LEVELING AND ALIGNMENT
Gather the required tools and parts and read all instructions before starting installation. Save these instructions for future reference.
NOTE: Before moving your product into your home, measure the doorway of your home to see whether you need to remove the
refrigerator and freezer doors. If door removal is necessary, see the instructions below.
IMPORTANT: Before you begin, turn the refrigerator control OFF. Unplug refrigerator or disconnect power.
TOOLS NEEDED:
Phillips screwdriver, ³⁄₁₆" Allen wrench, ¹⁄₄" hex-head socket wrench, ¹⁄₄" and ⁵⁄₁₆" open-ended wrenches or adjustable wrench
4 Top Left Hinge
AA
Do Not Remove Screws A
3 Wiring Connection
A B C D E
A. P-clamp
B. Routing Plate
C. Electrical Housing
D. Wiring Clip
E. Grommets
F. Wiring Plugs
2 Water Dispenser
Tubing Connection
A
W10299704A
A
A. Face of Fitting
WARNING
Electrical Shock Hazard
Disconnect power before removing doors.
Failure to do so can result in death or electrical shock.
AA
F
5 Door Removal
1 Base Grille
Doors must be
open to 90˚
6
7
8
9
A
Top Right Hinge
Do Not Remove Screws A
A
Bottom Hinge
Leveling
C
A. Bottom Hinge
B. Leveler Bracket
C. Leveling Foot
Door Alignment
Lower
A. Alignment Screw
A
Raise Lower
Raise
A
B

2
Remove the Doors
WARNING
Electrical Shock Hazard
Disconnect power before removing doors.
Failure to do so can result in death or electrical shock.
1. Unplug refrigerator or disconnect power.
2. Open both doors to 90°. Remove the base grille by removing
the two screws, then pulling out on the outside corners. See
Graphic 1.
NOTE: The doors must only be opened to 90°. If they are
opened all the way, the base grille will not come off.
3. Remove food, the ice storage bin, and any adjustable door or
utility bins from doors.
4. Disconnect the water tubing, located behind the base grille on
the freezer door side. See Graphic 2.
■ Press the colored outer ring against the face of fitting and
pull the water tubing free.
NOTE: Keep the water tubing connector attached to the
tube that runs underneath the freezer. The door cannot be
removed if the connector is still attached to the tube that
runs through the door hinge.
5. Disconnect the wiring, located behind the base grille on the
freezer door side. See Graphic 3.
■ Remove the P-clamp using a ¹⁄₄" hex-head socket wrench.
Remove the small wiring bundle from the P-clamp.
■ Remove the wiring clip using a ¹⁄₄" hex-head socket
wrench.
■ Pull the electrical housing out from under the refrigerator.
Disconnect the wiring plugs from the housing.
■ Gently pull the large wiring bundle (with two white plugs)
through the routing plate.
6. Close both doors and keep them closed until you are ready to
lift them free from the cabinet.
7. Use a ³⁄₁₆" Allen wrench to remove the top left hinge screws as
shown. See Graphic 4.
IMPORTANT: Do not remove either screw A.
WARNING
Excessive Weight Hazard
Use two or more people to lift the freezer door.
Failure to do so can result in back or other injury.
8. Lift freezer door straight up off bottom hinge. See Graphic 5.
The water tubing and wiring remain attached to the freezer
door and pull through the bottom left hinge.
NOTE: This may require two people - one to lift the door and
another to feed the water tubing and wiring through the hinge.
Be sure the hole in the hinge is clear of obstructions, then
gently pull one water tube through the hinge. (Avoid kinking
the tube.) Next, gently pull the other water tube through the
hinge, again avoiding kinks. Finally, gently pull the wiring
bundle (including the grommet and wiring plugs) through the
hinge.
IMPORTANT: Rest the door on its side on a soft, clean
surface, such as a towel, blanket or piece of cardboard. This
will help avoid damaging the door, water tubing and wiring.
9. Use a ³⁄₁₆" Allen wrench to remove the top right hinge screws
as shown. See Graphic 6.
IMPORTANT: Do not remove either screw A.
10. Lift the refrigerator door straight up off bottom hinge.
11. It may not be necessary to remove the bottom hinges to move
the refrigerator through a doorway. Both bottom hinges have
similar construction.
■ If necessary, disassemble the hinges. See Graphic 7.
IMPORTANT: The leveler brackets are mounted behind
the hinges. If you remove the hinges, make sure that the
leveler brackets are replaced when reinstalling the hinges.
Replace the Doors and Hinges
1. Replace both bottom hinges, if removed. Make sure that the
leveler brackets are assembled behind the hinges. Tighten
screws.
IMPORTANT: When the screws are tightened properly, there
should not be any gaps between the refrigerator, leveler
bracket and hinge.
NOTE: There are two wiring bundles that run underneath the
freezer - a large bundle with a large grommet and two white plugs
at the end, and a small bundle with a small grommet and one
yellow plug at the end.

WARNING
Excessive Weight Hazard
Use two or more people to lift the freezer door.
Failure to do so can result in back or other injury.
2. Before replacing the freezer door on the bottom left hinge,
feed the small wiring bundle through the hinge. Assistance
may be needed.
IMPORTANT: Do not feed the large wiring bundle through the
hinge. This bundle is intended to run directly from the door to
the connections beneath the freezer. Forcing the large bundle
through the hinge may damage the door and/or the wiring,
and will keep the door from closing properly.
3. Feed both water tubes through the bottom left hinge, then
replace the freezer door on the hinge. Assistance may be
needed.
NOTE: Provide additional support for the doors while the top
hinges are being replaced. Do not depend on the door magnets to
hold the doors in place while you are working.
4. Align and replace the top left hinge as shown. See Graphic 4.
Tighten screws.
5. Reconnect water tubing and wiring.
IMPORTANT: Do not intertwine the water tubing and wiring
bundles when reconnecting them.
■ Push the larger ⁵⁄₁₆" (7.94 mm) water tube into the blue
fitting until it stops, then push the smaller ¹⁄₄" (6.35 mm)
water tube into the green fitting until it stops. See
Graphic 2.
■ Reinstall the P-clamp around the small wiring bundle (with
one yellow plug), then replace the P-clamp on the top
screw hole of the routing plate. See Graphic 3.
■ Gently route the large wiring bundle (with two white plugs)
through the hole in the routing plate, so that the wiring
runs behind the right side of the routing plate. See
Graphic 3.
NOTE: The large wiring bundle should always remain
below the small wiring bundle.
■ Reconnect the wiring plugs to the electrical housing, then
push the housing back under the refrigerator. Align the left
hole in the front lip of the housing with the right hole in the
refrigerator's base crossbar. See Graphic 3.
■ Reinstall the wiring clip over the grommets. First install the
smaller grommet into the top of the clip, then install the
larger grommet into the bottom of the clip (closest to the
screw hole). See Graphic 3.
■ Align the clip's screw hole with the left hole in the electrical
housing and the right hole in the crossbar, and screw in
the clip using a single screw. Tighten screw. See
Graphic 3.
IMPORTANT: Once connected, the wiring bundles should
not be taut. Some flexibility is needed to allow the freezer
door to open properly.
6. Replace the refrigerator door by lifting the door onto the
bottom right hinge.
7. Align and replace the top right hinge as shown. See Graphic 6.
Tighten screws.
8. Replace the ice storage bin and any adjustable door or utility
bins.
9. Plug refrigerator into a grounded 3 prong outlet.
Leveling and Door Closing
Your refrigerator has two adjustable front feet — one on the right
and one on the left. In most cases, the refrigerator should be
steady when both feet are touching the floor. If your refrigerator
seems unsteady or if you want the doors to close more easily,
adjust the refrigerator's tilt using the instructions below:
1. Move the refrigerator into its final location. If necessary, open
both doors to 90° and remove the base grille. See Graphic 1.
2. The two leveling feet are located on the brackets on each side
of the product. See Graphic 8.
NOTE: Having someone push against the top of the refrigerator
takes some weight off the leveling feet. This makes it easier to
make adjustments.
3. Use a ¹⁄₄" open-ended or adjustable wrench to adjust the
leveling feet. Turn the leveling foot to the left to raise that side
of the product, or turn it to the right to lower that side of the
product.
4. Open both doors again and check that they close as easily as
you like. If not, tilt the refrigerator slightly more to the rear by
turning the leveling feet to the left. It may take several more
turns, and you should turn both leveling feet the same
amount.
NOTE: Whenever you need to move the refrigerator, turn the
leveling feet to the right until they are no longer touching the
ground. This will allow the refrigerator to roll more easily.
Door Alignment
A refrigerator that is not level from side-to-side may appear to
have doors that are not properly aligned. If the doors appear this
way, use the instructions in the previous section to check the
leveling.
The doors are designed to be slightly different heights when the
refrigerator is empty, in order to account for the weight of food
that will be placed on the doors. If the doors are still not aligned
after checking the leveling and loading the refrigerator with food,
follow the steps below to adjust the door alignment.
1. If necessary, open both doors to 90° and remove the base
grille. See Graphic 1.
2. Locate the alignment screw on the bottom hinge of the
refrigerator door. See Graphic 9.
3. Use a ⁵⁄₁₆" open-ended or adjustable wrench to turn the screw.
To raise the refrigerator door, turn the screw to the right. To
lower the door, turn the screw to the left.
4. Check that the doors are even at the top. If necessary,
continue to turn the alignment screw until the doors are
aligned.
5. Open both doors to 90°. Replace the base grille. See
Graphic 1.
3